Feature-Audience Mismatch
Feature-audience mismatch is one reason some BOTF articles don't convert
I’m sure you must have heard or seen this in one form or the other:
Early-stage startups benefit more from Bottom-of-the-funnel.
Or…
BOTF articles are the easiest way to generate revenue because the reader is already at the cusp of making a decision.
Well, that's all true.
But there are several BOTF articles gathering dust on the shelves of search engine result pages (SERPS). They’re not generating revenue. No one reads and remembers them. They’re just…there.
Meanwhile, those that are successful nail three aspects. They:
Target readers that need the product
Cover a topic that’s tied to a pain point of the reader
Highlight only the use cases needed by the target reader
Numbers 1 and 2 are easy to achieve.
But number 3.... (scoffs)...That one's a killer!
Many BOTF articles don't adhere to it. This leads to what's called a features-audience mismatch.
Features-audience mismatch: what it is
A features-audience mismatch is when you write a BOTF article, highlighting features of your product not needed by the target audience.
And when it happens, the reader is less likely to convert because:
It doesn't convince the reader that your product is what they need to solve their problem.
It doesn't appeal to their natural human feeling of self-interest. And since it fails to do that, the reader will leave in a flash to find a competing product.
It's why you see some BOTF articles posting crazy conversions and others still posting crickets.
Because your audience can't reach into their pockets if you don't convince them you're the solution they're looking for.
One important thing, however:
Some products are more prone to feature-audience mismatch than others:
Products servicing several audience segments are more prone to features-audience mismatch
Some products serve several audience segments. And that increases the chances they'd fall into the trap of using the wrong features for the wrong audience.
Take, for instance, you're selling productivity software. The features may include:
Time blocking
Alarms to alert when it's time for a particular activity
A Todo list
A planner
Invoicing for clients
Time tracking for tasks (pomodoro)
Now, who do you'd expect several sets of individuals will need such software:
A remote worker who's struggling to stay on task.
A student looking for a more efficient way to keep track of assignments, take notes, note down times and dates for classes, and set alarms for early morning classes.
A busy executive leading a Fortune 500 company, who's struggling to juggle several tasks simultaneously.
A freelancer with numerous clients at a time. Time tracker,
Each audience segment will have a different need for the software. Because they have different challenges.
So, if you're doing a BOTF article titled "Productivity software for CEOS," the features you would highlight include the following:
Booking meetings easily
Note taking
Time blocking for tasks
Integration with calendar
What if the title changes to "productivity software for freelancers"?
You'd still highlight features 1 through 4, but add two more to appeal to the needs of the target reader:
Time tracking
Invoicing for clients
A freelancer will likely search for another tool and never return if the article doesn't highlight these two features.
I'm sure you now grasp the magnitude of the problem. So, what's the solution?
Solution 1: Don't assume you know what the reader wants
Yeah, I know…. I sound like a broken record.
You must have heard this advice several times; it’s become a cliche.
But as marketers, we always claim to be masters of the customer's mind, with next-level mind-reading ability. We think we know what they want and understand what drives them to look for our product.
The result?
We do surface-level research, throw in some random features, write and publish the article, then wait for the sign-ups to come flooding in.
But there's a better way.
Assume you know nothing about their needs. Then:
listen to the customer
Through recorded calls with customers, surveys, etc.
Interview a few customers belonging to the different segments needing your product before you start your content campaign.
Go on social media communities and search using the keyword
Pay close attention to rants, complaints, etc.
Solution 2: Look at your competitors
The customers of your competitor are most likely a mirror of your customers. So, it makes sense to look at the complaints and praises they have for your competitors.
Here's how you do it:
Go to review sites. Search for your competitor.
Take a look at the reviews. Focus on the pros and cons they're mentioning.
If your product has those features, mention them. But this time, focus on how your product does it better (faster, at Lower costs, etc).
Solution 3: Always have a representative of the customer when making BOTF content decisions.
The customer is supposed to be the subject of every BOTF article. But since you can’t access your customers directly, consult those who are in close contact with them daily — sales, product, growth, and marketing team.
They have first-hand information about the complaints of your customers. So they can tell you what features to include or discard.
However, they may not have the time to sit through a meeting. In that case, create a one-pager, containing the title of the post and the features you plan to highlight.
Then ask if it's correct.
This way, you wouldn't spend content estate talking about features with low potential to convert the reader.
Solution 4: Add A “features to be highlighted” portion to briefs
You may not always have the time to write your articles yourself. So, it makes sense to hand over a brief to a freelancer.
These days, most briefs contain:
Target keyword
Audience
Tone
That may suffice for a top-of-the-funnel article like "What is productivity software". But if it's a BOTF article, it's not enough.
Why?
Because the freelancer isn't an authority on your product. They don't know the capabilities, features, and audience like you do.
Solution?
Create a section called "features to be added” in all BOTF article briefs.
You could go further and create short videos showing how these features work. But if you don't have the time, give the freelancer access to the tool and its documentation.
Solution 5: Start with the problem, not the keyword.
We need to write a BOTF article. Let’s check keyword tools to find the keywords our competitors are ranking for, and target them.
At face value, that sounds like a great idea. But there’s the tendency to lose sight of the problem and focus squarely on the keyword.
The result?
You’d highlight several use cases not needed by the target reader.
Additionally, you’re more likely to try to model other ranking articles. Because, at the end of the day, keyword tools essentially look at what’s ranking and spit out something similar.
And that means you’ll likely repeat the same thing your competitors are talking about. The same sections, the exact use cases, and so on.
Look at the problems first. Then try to think of the features in your product that solve those problems.
Still using the example of the productivity software:
Say you’re targeting freelancers. List out their major challenges, then pair them with your product’s features that solve those challenges. It will look like this:
The short of it all…
Bottom-of-the-funnel keywords are money-makers. But if they're not optimized to solve the problem of the target audience/potential customer, all you'll get is crickets.
Till next week 👋🏽!